Reversing Roe: What Would Post-Roe America Look Like?

      Well, that election was… memorable. I suppose I should say is memorable because the court battles are shaping up to be a weird chapter in future generations’ history books.

     With that said, Amy Coney Barrett’s appointment to the Supreme Court is very encouraging. Slowly, but steadily, we are making headway in rolling back Roe v Wade. When that day comes, it will be a glorious day for the protection of human rights and dignity in this country.

      One thing we have to be aware of, though, is that overturing Roe v Wade would not instantly shut down legal abortion in this country – rather, it would return it to the pre-Roe status quo of being determined at the state level. Lest we forget, Roe happened in 1973. Washington citizens, however, voted to pass Referendum 20, which legalized abortion, back in 1970. Thus, we need to be looking forward to what a post-Roe world will look like.

     To do that, we need to understand Roe itself. Roe v Wade, for all the power it has wielded, is an absolute embarrassment of a case. Both pro-life and pro-choice legal experts consider it to be a debacle, and to call its legal standing ‘shaky’ would be generous.

     Students for Life of America has put together comprehensive explanations of Roe, as well as what we should be considering for the day when that shaky ruling comes tumbling down. And, if you want a look at where the pro-life movement stands in the wake of the election, they also have a good video summarizing the national takeaway (spoiler alert, it’s more good news than bad).

Happy learning, and stay safe out there!